Thread-controller for sewing-machines.



L. ONDERDONK.

THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.10,1907

1,129,5M. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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L. ONDERDONK. THREAD CONTROLLER FOB. SEWING MACHINES.

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENT oFFIoE.

" LANSING oNnnanoNx, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,- ASSIGNOR 'ro UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY,-. or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

- a citizen of the United States, residinYg THREAD-CONTROLLER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application filed September 10, 1907. Serial No. 392,214.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERnoNK, at New York, in the county of New ork,

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread- Controllers for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in thread controllers for sewing machines and while said thread con troller in certain aspects of my invention may be useful with any one of the stitch forming elements, said invention is more especially adapted for use in connection with the looper thread of a sewing machine.

The object of my invention is to provide a controlling mechanism which shall operateupon the loop'er thread to take care of the slack during nearly all of the movements of the looper, whereby the slack thread caused by the backward movement of the looper is taken up without interfering with the previously formed stitch being properly run or drawn up to the under side of the work, and whereby, furthermore, the slack in 'the' looper thread is taken up on the first forward movements of the looper, venting the thread from vibrating to the wrong side of the looper or getting in position to disturb the loop of needle thread cast out by the needle for the looper and also to so control the looper thread that the needle thread loop around the looper will not disarrange the looper thread, and thus prevent imperfect stitches or missing stitches.

My invention consists in the parts, arrangements and improvements hereinafter shown, described and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of my invention: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a sewing machine having my improved thread controller applied thereto.

- Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the thread thereby prethread controlling cam to the thread retaming fingers. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. f1 with the take-up cam in a different posltlon.

The sewing machine as illustrated in the present embodiment of myinvention, comprises a bed plate 1, which has rising from its forward end a work supporting post 2, in which is mounted a looper 3. It is obvious however, that instead of using a single looper, a plurality of loopers may be used. It is. also obvious that any other form of work support than that shown herein may be used in connection with my improved looper thread controller.

The looper thread as it is led from the supply is preferably led through an opening in the casing 4. I have provided a thread clamping mechanism which as shown in the drawings, consists of a clamping finger 5 (see Fig. 3), having an off set arm 6,'whi c h engages an eccentric 7 mounted on the -main shaft 8. Coiiperating with the clamping finger 5, is a stationary yielding clamp finger 9, which is mounted on the bracket 10 secured to the bedplate 1, by a suitable screw 11. Between the thread clamp and the supply, I have provided a pull 01f cam 12 (see Figs. land 3). Said pull off cam as the main shaft 8 rotates, engages the thread between the clampin fingers, and thesupply, and draws off su cient thread to supply the looper in the formation of the stitch. The eccentric 7 and the pull off cam 12 are so disposed upon the shaft 8 that the clamping fingers '5 and 9 are brought into contact with thethread to hold the same just prior to the time when the thread pull off cam 12 engages the thread to draw the same from the supply.

In order to regulate the amount of thread drawn off by the pull off cam 12, I have provided an adjustable thread controller 13, whichas clearly shown in Figs. 1 and '3, is

pivoted to the bracket 10 by a screw 14. Said thread controlling arm 13 is provided with a notched end 15, through which the looper thread passes. The amount of'thread'drawn off by the pull oif cam 12' depends upon the distance the extreme outer diameter of said pull off cam moves above the thread guidingr notch in said thread controller arm 13.

he thread controller arm 13 is held in its forward position as shown in Figs. 1v and 3 by a spring 16 which is secured to the bracket 10, by a screw 17. Said thread controlling arm 13 when in its-forward position, rests upon a screw 18 adjustably carried by the bracket 19, formed integral with the bracket 10. By adjusting the screw 18, the position of the thread controlling arm 13 may be regulated and thereby the amount of thread drawn off by the pull off cam varied.

My improved thread controlling cam consists of two cam disks 20 and 21. Said cam disks are mounted upon the shaft 8 so as to rotate between the thread guides 22 and 23 carried by a thread guiding wire 24- Said thread guiding wire 24:(see Figs. 1 and 2) is carried by an upwardly projecting arm 25 formed on the bracket 10. Said arm is provided with a recess extending across the rear face thereof into which fits the thread guiding wire 24. Said thread guiding wire 24 is held in said recess by a spring 26, secured to the bracket 10, by a screw 27. When it is desired to thread the thread guides 22 and 23 of said thread guiding wire, the same is turned to an upright or vertical position, whereby the thread may be readily passed through said guides. Said thread retaining wire is providedwith an offset portion 28 whereby the same is held by means of the spring 26, either in its upright position, or in its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2. The thread guiding wire 24 when in its lower or horizontal position, rests on an adjustable screw 29, carried by a bracket 30 formed integral with the bracket 10. By adjusting said screw 29, the position of the thread guides 22 and 23 may be altered relative to the center of the shaft 8 and thereby the amount of slack thread taken up by the thread controlling cam, varied.

The outer edges of the cam disk 20 and 21 are rounded off as shown in the drawings, in order to prevent chafing or wearing the thread. Cooperating with the thread controlling cam are two thread retaining fingers 31 and 32. Said thread retaining fingers as shown in the drawing, are formed from a single piece of wire and are secured to the bracket 10 by a screw 33 passing between the spaced shanks of said thread retaining fingers. Said thread retaining fingers as clearly shown in Fig. 1, extend between the thread controlling cam disks 20 and 21. Each of said thread controlling cam disks is provided with a concentric portion a (see Fig. 4), which leads into a rapidly increasing eccentric portion to the point 6. and from the point I) to the point C a gradually increasing concentric portion, .and from the point 0 to the point (i, a gradually decreasing eccentric portion and from the point d, a rapidly decreasing eccentric portion, which leads into the concentric portion a.

While I have shown my thread controlling cam as comprising two cam disks, it is very evident that a single cam disk may be substituted therefor.

The thread after leaving the thread eye 22 passes through an opening 34:, then un derneath a thread protecting strip 35 to the base of the work supporting post. The thread. is led up the side of the work supporting post, underneath a projecting strip 36 and thence along a finger 37 and to the looper or loopers this finger 37 serves merely as a guide for the looper thread. It will be noted that the looper thread is led through the casing at a point directly behind the looper.

The operation of my rotary take up is as follows: Starting with the needle at the lower end of its stroke and as it rises to throw out its loop, the looper moves forward to enter the loop thrown out by said needle. The looper thread is at this time held by the thread retainer 31 and is practically taut, the cam disks 20 and 21 being in the position shown in Fig. 5. As the looper moves forward, the controller disks 2021 gradually give up a very small portion of the thread so that the looper thread is at this time free from strain, but still held sufficiently taut so as not to bag or kink between the looper eye and the previous stitch. If the looper thread is entirely free and loose in front of the eye of the looper, on its forward stroke, said thread is liable to kink or bend in front of the looper, and deflect the needle loop so as to cause skipping of stitches. Again, after the looper point has entered the needle loop, the needle thread controller operates to draw up the slack in the needle loop, drawing said needle loop snugly up against the looper body. If the looper thread is slack and loose at this time, the drawing of the needle thread around the looper and the looper thread which is now in the needle loop, is liable to wind the slack looper thread around the body of the looper, causing imperfect stitches or breaking of the thread. My thread controller cam, however, is still holding the looper thread so that it is free from all loose slack until the looper is well into the needle loop and said needle loop is drawn up against the body of the looper. The point 03 is now reached in the rotation of the cam disk 20 and 21 and the looper thread is given up rapidly to the forward movement of the looper and to the feed of the material which takes place at about the time the looper reaches the forward end of its stroke. As the looper starts back, the eccentric portion between a and b is brought into contact with the looper thread and the slack due to the retracting movement of the looper is taken up so that 32 casts the looper thread over the shoulder vention, what I claim as new and desire to .26

b and the thread is drawn up against the retainer 31. The eccentric portion from b to c gradually takes up the looper thread so that when the looper reaches the rear end of its stroke the looper thread is taut. The thread clamp is closed by the eccentric 7 when the cam disks 20 and 2l are drawing upon the looper thread. At this time the pull off cam 12 operates to draw thread from the supply which is given up to the looper at the forward'end of its stroke and when the looper thread is free from action by the cam disks 20 and 21.

Having thus particularly described my insecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating therewith and means for controlling the looper thread including a rotating take-up cam and thread guides cooperating with said cam for holding the looper thread continuously contact therewith, said take-up cam having an eccentric surface for giving up thread to the looper on the first part of the forward movement thereof, a second eccentric surface for rapidly giving up thread to the looper as it moves to the end of its stroke, a third eccentric surface for quickly taking up the thread as the looper is retracted and a fourth eccentric surface for gradually taking up the looper thread as the looper reaches the rear end of its stroke, said eccentric surfaces being so disposed as to lead one into the other and to operate in succession on the looper thread.

2. The combination of a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating therewith and means for controlling the looper thread including a take-up cam and thread guides cooperating therewith for holding the looper thread continuously in engagement with said cam, said take-up cam having two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of minimum eccentricity and two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces joined to said first named eccentric surfaces, disposed a greater distance from the center of the cam than said first named eccentric surfaces and meeting at their points of maxi mum eccentricity, said take-up cam being so timed as to give up the looper thread gradually to the looper on the first part of its forward movement then rapidly as the looper moves to the end of its stroke, then to quickly take up the looper thread as the looper is retracted and finally to gradually take up the looper thread as the looper reaches the rear end of its stroke.

3. A take-up mechanism including in com bination a rotating take-up cam, spaced thread guides for holding a thread in continuous contact with said cam, said take-up cam having two oppositely disposed eccentric surfacesmeeting at their points of minimum eccentricity and two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces connected with said first named eccentric surfaces and located at a greater distance from the center of the rotating take-up cam than the first named eccentric surfaces, said last named eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of maximum eccentricity.

4. A take-up mechanism including in combination a rotating take-up cam, spaced thread guides for holding a thread in continuous contact with said cam,.said take-up cam 'having two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of minimum eccentricity and two oppositely dis- Eosed eccentric surfaces connected with said rst named eccentric surfaces and located at a greater distance from the center of the rotating take-up cam than the first named eccentric surfaces, said last named eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of maximum eccentricity, a thread engaging device for engaging the thread and preventing the same from being carried along with the sur-' face of the take-up cam.

5. A take-up mechanism including in combination spaced take-up cams, thread guides for holding the thread continuously in contact with said cams, a thread finger extending between the take up cams for engaging the thread and preventing the same from moving with the surfaces of the said cams,

said take-up cams being similarly constructed and disposed and each consisting of two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of minimum eccentricity, two oppositely disposed eccentric surfaces connected with said first named eccentric surfaces and disposed a greater distance from the center of the cams, said last named eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of maximum eccentricity.

6. A take-up mechanism including in comfrom the center of the cams, said last named so that it may be engaged bythe other finger 10 eccentric surfaces meeting at their points of while the thread is in contact with the other maximum eccentricity, a second finger execcentric surfaces.

tending between the take-up cams, said sec- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

: ond finger being sodisposed relative to the in presence of two witnesses.

first named finger as to hold the thread while S NG O ER ON in engagement with the eccentric surfaces Witnesses? located a greater dlstance from the center of HARTLEY,

I the take-up cams and releasing said thread FR NKLIN CHILT N- 

